Automatic signal.



1. M. CARSON.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I3, I9I3 .Patented Julys, 19171.

www

IMF

75715?, JM. Cawsow, u

)a MM l llilldl J'Il'bl MQ CARSON, 0F LGS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL.

Application led .Tune 13, 15H3.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Jol-1N M. CARSON, ai citizen of 'the United States, residing` :it Los Angeles, in the count)y of Losrlingeles und Stateoi" California, have invented certain new und useful improvements in Automatic Signals, of Which the follo'wingis o specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic signals und particularly to that type of Signals that is adopted for attract-- ing attention end giving Warning et danger :it various places, Such for instance es ra1l- Way crossings. Y

lt is un object' el: the invention to provide u Signal device With n movoble erin carrying' u target, lamp or other signal device, and to provide means adjacent to the sind arm that is capable of moving the arm first to one side and then to the other to swing the signal device buck end itorth.

' lt is also en object of theinrention to provide e signal device having sin oecillating arm carrying t Warning signal und tol so connect the arm 'with the core of :1 double solenoid that the said erm muy he oscillnted by the actuation and exciting of one Wind-- in@r und then the other ofthe soleneiduineuns being provided for passing .fin electric eurrent through said windings alternately, in accordance with the movement ol. the erin.

ln the accompanying' drawing forming :i- 'purt of this specification: l

Figure l is a. side elevation oi the. signal device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. is n, side elevation of a similar mechanism but showing electro-n'izignets for actuating it of u, dil'erent type from those shown in Fig. l.

rPhe signal mechanism o the present invention is especially adapted for attracting the attention of the public by means of e, moving` target, sign, light or other device, to the likelihood oi danger :it railway crossings or other places where the puhlic must poss. In 'the accompanying drawing' in which the preferred 'forms or" 'the mechanism have been shown, indicates a, signal arm, which is usually provided with e tur- Specification of Letters Patent.

Pntented July 3, 191? Serial No. 773,382

upon hearings at l. The arm le free to oscillnte or rock bitch or i'orth upon these hearings. lliovilbly mounted upon the arm l is a bearing casing 5, ireferubly surrounding,` the said erin und having; :intifriction heuringe interposed between it und the said arm. .es shown in l suidheurings are usually in the form oi ontiiriction rollers G arranged in the said easing 5 on each side of the arm l :1nd so es to engage the sume. The bearing casing or box i3 muy thus be caused to move the erm l and at the sume time slip longitudinally thereon. Projectingfrom the casing 5 is u Stud 7 which onguges :i bezning 8 formed et the center of a core The core il inojects equal distances upon each side of the laeuring; S und its ends extend into the hollow solenoid coils l0 arranged on opposite sides of the arm l as clearly Shown in Fig, l.. Brackets 1l rising from :i suitable buse :ire provided for supgriorting the Suid Solenoid coils l0.

1li, circuit ehnngin device is also employed in connection with the oscillating erin l and euch device ie usuully inode in the forni et' un oscillating sector l2 which is pivotully mounted opjiositely the pivot hearing ol the erm l, its n'ioveinem'; heiligabout the suine exis. 'lhe outer corners Voi' the sector l2 :1re provided with Contact projections 13 and lll adopted to engage und electricallyconnect oppositely iii-ranged contacte l5 und lf3 Aand 17 und'lS. Circuits muy thus he coinpleted through u :suitable source of electricul energy und the coils l0 for operating the core 9 und causing its .reciprocntion in oscillating the Signal erin. fis shown in the drawing o conductor 19 leeds from the contact l5 to one end of the winding of the opposite solenoid coill0. A conductor 20 leads from the other end of `this Winding to n source of electrical energy :is :t buttery 2l. The current muy pass from the battery 2l by conductor :lil to :i switch and the Contact 16 is connected by' n conductor 24?:

il O

cri

with said switch Q3. r1`hus when the contact piece 13 rests against and connects the contacts 15 and 1G, a circuit will be established through the solenoid 10 on the opposite arln 1 from said contacts so as to attract the core 9 into the coil thus energized and vcorrespondingly move the signal arm.

Tlie contacts 17 and 18 are connected in a similar way with the other solenoid coil. Thus a conductor connects the contact 1T with the solenoid coil 10 on the opposite side of the device, and conductor 26 connects the said coil with the switch 23. A conductor 27 also connects the conductor :20 with the contact 18. By this means a circuit can be passed through the contacts 1T and 18 and the battery Afor energizing the solenoid coil upon the opposite side ot' the machine for moving the arm in the' direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. It will be initierstood that the operation of the signal may be started or stopped by the closing or opening of the switch 23 and that the said switch may be manually or automatically operated as'preferred and in conjunction with other mechanisms it' desired, within the scope of the invention. It will also beunderstood that as long as the switch is closed, an actuating current will low through first one solenoid ,coil and then the other for oscillating the arm 1, the sect-or 12 being automatically operated by the arm 1 striking the contacts 13 and 14 in alternation, for changing the circuits. The said sector is usually located close to the arm and upon one side thereoi= and the contact pieces 13 and 1st project laterally therefrom into the path of the said arm Jr'or accomplishing the circuit changing operation just described. rl.`he arm 1 may be hollow and conductors 28 and .29 be passed therethrough to supply Vthe lamp 3 with an electric current when it is to be lighted. The said conductors 28 and 2S) are connected with any desired lighting eircuit. not shown.

The means for oscillating the arm 1 may be varied within the spirit of the invention. Thus shown in modified iorm illustrated in Fig. i2 the signal arm 1 maybe provided with a bar or piece SO'secured theretoa short distance from the pivotal bearing of said arm, the ends of s aid bar 30 being arranged opposite the poles 31 and 32 of electro-inagnets 33 and 34. The said electro-iiiagnets are supported by brackets 35 and 3G mounted upon the base Aof the device. The other portions c the mechanism are like the parts already described in Fig. -1 and the electrical connections are the. same, the arrangement being such that when a current is established through the electro-inagnet 33 the signal arm will be pulled in one direction and upon reaching the limit of its moi/'ement in that direction will cause the deenergizing of the magnet and the energizing of magnet 31 ior moving the arm in the other direction. The action is thus the same as when the double solenoid as shown in F ig. 1, is einployed.

It will be observed that in form of the device shown the circuits willnot be established through both the solenoid coils o r both the electro-magnets at tlie.same time but that first one and then the other will be energized under the control ot' the circ-uit changing device for automatically continuing the oscillation of the arm and signal while switch Q3 is closed.

lV hat is claimed is:

1. A signal, device comprising a swinging arm, a swinging contact member moving about same center as the said arm, circuits including magnets adapted to Abe energized alternately for drawing the said arm one way or the other, pairs of contacts one of each pair being connected with asource of electrical energy, and one ot each pair with one of the magnets, the movable contact member being carried by the said swin ing arm against the said pairs of contacts, a ternately for bridging those which will coinplete a circuit through a magnet, iirst on one side of the arm and then on the other side.

2. A signal mechanism comprising a swinging signal arm, a signal carried thereby and a pivoted contact making member having projections extending into the path of the said swinging member, contact pieces adapted to be bridged and connected by the said projections, and circuits including magnets. said circuits being adapted to be closed by the connecting of said contacts for .moving the said swinging arm.

A signal mechanism comprising a swinging arm carrying signal means, magnets arranged upon each side of said arm and adapted to draw it first in one direction and thenin the other, circuits comprising separated Contact points upon one side of the arm, separated contact points upon the other sideot said arm, a. movable contact member having contact i'naking projections adapted to be struck by the swinging arm and moved to rest upon and bridge the space between each set of contact points, whereby the circuits through the magnets will be complete alternately for pulling the said arm iirst in one direction and then in the other.v

ll. A signal mechanism comprising an oscillating `signal carrying arm, a signal thereon, magnets opposing each other,

circuits therefor. a. vcore bar having its f ends extending into the said'magnets, the

close a circuit through the other magnet, a plvoted member adapted to rock between the opposlte groups of contacts and havmg contact making projections extending into the'v y ,'r producing theloscillaion ofthe Signal l0 ill'lll.

ln testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in presence oftwo witnesses.

.JOHN M. CARSON.

W'itnesses LILLIE VOLLMER, CAssnLL SEVERANCE. 

